


Bark at the Moon

by Wolfsheart



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men AU-ish (mine)
Genre: Costumes, F/M, Fighting, Halloween, Logan's past coming back to bite him in the ass, M/M, Making Up, Relationship Problems, Secret Past, Secrets, break-up, vampire Kurt Wagner, werewolf James Howlett, werewolf Logan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 21:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfsheart/pseuds/Wolfsheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt and Emma worry about Logan when a visitor from his past shows up and disrupts the calm of Kurt and Logan's relationship.  Will it all be resolved on Halloween?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bark at the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a Halloween challenge issued by Calling_Alice at the Logurt Livejournal community using this pic by Crow821 as a guideline: http://crow821.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=120#/d2okk04 
> 
> I reference the time that Logan briefly became a werewolf back in Wolverine: First Class, Wolverine by Night, because I thought it would be an appropriate canon place to pull from, even though my AU (sorta) world is, well...definitely not much like what's happening now.

**I.**

**Bittersweet – Two Days before Halloween**

_Golden eyes watched the stocky figure lope across the gardens; it was the third pass the man had made from the middle of the garden to the edge of the maze.  And back again.  Kurt held back the curtains with two blue fingers, his other arm across his sternum.  He knew that Logan had been restless lately; he regularly disappeared into the wooded areas around the school, spent time staring at the enormous monument to Jean in the garden, and had been generally grumpier than his usual charming self._

_“I don’t know what’s wrong, Emma,” Kurt said to the woman in white behind him.  “This is just...Logan.  He does this sometimes...right before he either clears his head or...”  He didn’t want to finish the sentence.  He didn’t relish the idea of his lover going feral.  Again._

_Emma walked over to the window and stood next to Kurt to watch Logan pace like a cornered wolf.  She placed a slender hand on his back, a show of comfort – rare between them but one offered nonetheless.  She could see inside Kurt’s mind and knew the frustration that went along with watching a lover brood over a dead woman.  She and Kurt shared that in common, and she hoped that both of them could soon be rid of that spectre that hung over their men._

_“What I’ve picked up from his mind, Kurt, has something to do with someone named...Nyssa...,” Emma told Kurt.  She expected the shoulder-slump that would be the tell-tale sign of another infidelity, preceding another fight, and she wasn’t disappointed.  Well.  She was disappointed, for once, that she was right.  “I’m sorry, Kurt...”_

_“Don’t...Emma, it’s...”  Kurt lifted his shoulders to his earlobes.  “...it’s alright.  I’ve weathered worse.”_

_Emma watched Kurt turn away from the window and avoid her eyes as he left her office in a burst of purple-black brimstone._

**II.**

**Halloween – Part 1: Observation and Study**

Emma surveyed the decorations as she walked downstairs and into the foyer.  Orange and black streamers curled along the bannisters to the newel posts, ending at the turn-outs.  All around the foyer and hanging from the ceiling were giant papier mâché pumpkins and bats and black cats.  She had consented to candles in some of the rooms so long as they were behind glass and protected from accidents, and then she’d mentally suggested to the students who’d wanted to go all out to purchase electric candles for the rest of the eerie mood they wanted to create for the party, to which she was headed right now.  She followed the loud music to the dining room and stood in the doorway for a moment.  Watching. 

Several of the tables had been cleared out to make room for dancing, while the others were scattered around for sitting at and eating, and still more had been pressed against one wall to hold the assortment of foods and drinks – soda, punch, tea, and coffee were the main beverages, but Emma had a feeling that a few of the adults had their own stash of alcoholic choices where they weren’t easily gotten to by underage hands.  Emma could excuse the sampling of wine or champagne by younger tastebuds – supervised, of course – but that was just a show of breeding and educating the new generations in ways of taste and society.  Still, this was a school full of hormonal teenagers – and adults – who would especially see tonight as a time to push boundaries, and the lessons of culture would be missed by most of them, so it was best to keep the liquor out of reach. 

That said, Emma wasn’t stupid, so she eventually stepped in and sashayed to one of the tables in her white and gold Cleopatra costume – as scantily attired as she was when in uniform – and poured a small cup of punch.  She lifted it to her nose first, sniffed, and when she didn’t smell anything right away, she tasted it, finding that it was just punch, after all. 

“I’m not sure if I should take dat as an insult, Cherie,” a smooth Cajun patois said. 

“I know you’ve been watching the punch bowls, Remy.  Doesn’t mean your back wasn’t turned a few times to flirt, and long enough, too, that one of the little darlings couldn’t have snuck something in,” Emma replied without even turning around to look at Gambit.  “Don’t worry.  I trust you...mostly.”  She smiled when he laughed and felt his presence move a little further into the dining room. 

Emma looked around to see Scott deep in discussion with a few of the others, but it was the lone wolf – quite literally the lone wolf tonight by his choice to dress as a werewolf in tattered jeans and shirt and costume fangs – Logan standing to one side of the room closest to the kitchen and furthest away from the blaring music and makeshift dance floor who caught her attention.  His thick fingers were curled without apology around the neck of a half drunk bottle of beer, his eyes focused on the kids having a good time, but his mind was far away in at least two places.  Emma took a peek to see which of those places seemed to weigh the most on his mind, and she was glad that Logan seemed more concerned about the fight with Kurt two days before than the woman who was the cause of the fight itself.  Her mind reached out to find Kurt...

**III.**

**Evasion – Two Days before Halloween**

_When Logan finally dragged himself upstairs to the bedroom he shared with Kurt, he found his lover sitting on the edge of the bed, in the dark.  The shades were open so that the gray and scarlet sunset haloed the teleporter._

_“Elf?  Why’re ya sittin’ in the dark?” he asked, punctuating his question with the close of door and click of lock._

_Silence answered Logan at first.  Silence and stillness of that nimble form.  Not even Kurt’s tail twitched to indicate life.  For a man with fur, Kurt felt cold._

_Logan walked closer, and his surprise was so palpable, it could be bitten into like a thick-cut cheeseburger from the roadhouse.  He moved until he stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at the other mutant._

_“Elf?”_

_“Who’s Nyssa?” rasped Kurt.  He wanted to curse himself for even that much emotion in his voice._

_Nothing Kurt said could have surprised him as much as that question.  Logan wanted to ask how Kurt knew, but then he remembered that the headmistress was a telepath, and she would have tugged it from his thoughts the way anyone else would have pulled at a loose thread on a shirt.  Only he didn’t want Emma unraveling everything in his thoughts, especially if she was going to tell them to Kurt.  Was he allowed no privacy from his lover?  No secrets?_

_“Kurt, I...”_

_“Nevermind.  I guess I shouldn’t ask.  I don’t have to.  You were gone for two weeks not that long ago.  I guess I’d hoped some things had changed.  Obviously they haven’t,” Kurt toned, not even really making an accusation.  He didn’t have to._

_Logan resisted the urge to punch the wall.  “Now wait a goddamn minute, Elf.  That ain’t fair.  You’re sayin’ I cheated when I didn’t...”_

_“Then tell me who Nyssa is.”_

_He snorted like a bull being frustrated by a matador, and he stared down at that body that hadn’t moved, not even an inch, except for the rise and fall of Kurt’s chest that indicated that he was still breathing.  Logan snorted again and sighed and gripped footboard of the bed until the wood groaned under his fingers._

_“I can’t tell ya...who Nyssa is, and I don’t know what Emma told you...”_

_Finally, movement.  A headshake from Kurt as the bitter smile tugged at his lips._

_“She just told me that you were thinking of someone named Nyssa...because we were both worried about you...your behavior, mein Schatz,” Kurt answered and stood up, trudging to the window to stare out before he walked over to the closet and took out a change of clothes and a pair of pajama pants, stepping out again to set them on the dresser.  “And you’re not willing to tell me anything else about this latest woman of yours?”_

_Logan narrowed his eyes, not liking the suffering accusation in Kurt’s tone.  “Ain’t my woman, Kurt.  Look, can’t ya just drop it?  Let me work through what I gotta work through and then in a few days, things’ll be the way they were again.”_

_Kurt looked up and saw the hurt and anger in Logan’s eyes after he’d gathered up his toothbrush and toothpaste to put them with the clothes._

_“That’s exactly what I’m doing, Logan.  Giving you time and space.  In a few days, if you’re still unwilling to tell me the truth, I’ll move the rest of my things into another bedroom, and we can call it quits.  Then you can pursue whomever you want without having to explain yourself to your boyfriend anymore.”_

_“Dammit, Elf...,” Logan growled, but he was interrupted by the cloud of brimstone, indicating Kurt’s exit._

**IV.**

**Halloween – Part 2: The Reply**

Kurt felt the tap on his psyche and knew that Emma was checking up on him.  He was aware that others noticed the tension, the separation between Logan and him over the last two days, and honestly, he’d tried to be around very little for it to cause problems.  Kurt had attended his classes, coached the students who were putting on a one-act play of _Othello_ , and even made appearances at all mealtimes.  He’d merely chosen to sit with a few students instead of the adults, and listening to the kids go on about their lives had kept him from losing his mind with jealousy and hopelessness.

::I’m coming down, Emma.  I just need to finish adjusting my costume:: Kurt replied to the mental query regarding his whereabouts. 

**V.**

**Avoidance – The day before Halloween**

_Logan stalked around outside again, this time, his pacing taking him further away from the garden and closer to the line of trees around the school.  He caught a scent and followed it until he stood right at the copse of trees, his feet sinking into a pile of fallen leaves.  He tensed when a tall man, built like someone who’d been training here at the school for years, stepped up, and Logan stared at that long blond hair swept away from the man’s face in a ponytail.  He growled, but the other man growled louder, and out of some leftover instinct from the first time they’d met, Logan backed down.  It would have surprised others that he lowered his eyes to the other man._

_He listened to what the man said, and his shoulders dropped._

_He was wholly unaware that he was being observed or that his mind was being tapped more thoroughly now that he was distracted by the news the other man had delivered._

_He was unaware that what he’d been trying to avoid talking about was being passed on.  If Logan was of a mind to be pissed about it, he could be, but right now, he had to deal with the matter at hand._

**VI.**

**Getting at the Truth – The day before Halloween**

_::Kurt...come to my office as soon as you’re through with your class.  I have some information for you.  But first off, do you know who Malik is?::_

**VII.**

**Halloween – Part 3: Resolution**

He knew more now than he had two days before, though he still didn’t know them from Logan’s lips.  He might not always agree with Emma’s choices, but he would give the lady this – she seemed genuinely concerned about him and about the state of his and Logan’s relationship.  Kurt knew that she understood on a level that others didn’t; they’d both had to fight the memory of Jean – they both _still_ had to fight her memory, but at least, Kurt could claim that Jean had never gone out of her way to hurt him.  Not intentionally, the way she had with Emma. 

Kurt stared at his reflection in the downstairs mirror and smiled; he didn’t even have to wear cheap costume fangs for his Dracula outfit, and he’d already gotten compliments from Kitty and Rogue when he passed them in the hall over his black trousers, white shirt, and black leather vest – all of which hugged the body he’d honed since he was thirteen and a circus act.  He made his way down to the dining room and hovered in the doorway for a moment, just observing everyone.  Across the room, Emma stood next to Scott, her hand tucked in his, their costumes appropriately matched as he’d managed Mark Antony to her Cleopatra.  As if she felt him watching her, Emma turned her head until her blue eyes met Kurt’s yellow, and they nodded at each other – understanding. 

It was then that his gaze fell on Logan, still standing by himself near the entrance to the kitchen.  Kurt was amused by the werewolf costume that suited the old mutant, especially given what he knew about the strange blond visitor Logan had met with.  He would still have to ask Kitty for more details about the time Logan had spent dealing with lycanthropy working its way through his system until the healing factor kicked in. Supposing that Logan continued to hide that part of his past from him. 

Kurt walked over to Logan and stood close to him, turning until he could watch the others, even though his attention was wholly on the other mutant.  He knew that Logan was very aware of his presence, though neither had spoken to each other since Kurt had teleported out of the bedroom two days ago. 

“Logan.” 

“Elf.”

After waiting to see if Logan would say anything else to him, Kurt stepped away and moved into the kitchen, pretending to be interested in getting a beer.  He wondered how long he would have to dance around this to get Logan’s attention. 

He didn’t have to wait long. 

“I’m sorry,” rumbled Logan from the doorway.  “I know ya don’t trust my words, Kurt, and my actions the last few days haven’t given ya reason to trust me.” 

Kurt set his beer on the counter, unopened.  Then he turned to look at his lover, deciding that he liked the feral costume, but he stayed focused and willed his steadily beating libido to calm itself.  It wouldn’t do them any favors if he gave in too easily. 

“What upsets me, Liebchen, is that you didn’t trust me with the truth,” he told Logan, crossing his arms over his chest, his cape falling in just the right dramatic way to look _almost_ menacing.  He noticed the way Logan checked out his costume, and if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a flash of interest in those blue eyes directed at him. 

 _Steady_. 

Logan scowled, and it only made his features more wolf-like.  “I trust you.”  He narrowed his eyes when Kurt just gave him a skeptical look.  “I do trust you,” he insisted.  “It was just...something from my past that popped up, and I had to deal with it.  Alone.” 

Kurt continued to stare, then he opened his beer and stepped out another door that eventually placed him at the side veranda, which had also been decorated with carved Jack o’Lanterns, flickering with wicked and silly grins as well as plastic pumpkin lights that had been strung up around the doorways.  He looked out at the gardens where he’d watched Logan’s agitation.  Then his eyes fell to the line of trees in the distance, and he wondered if Malik would make another appearance. 

As if he could read his lover’s mind, Logan cleared his throat and answered directly, “He ain’t comin’ back, Elf.  Not again...not ever.  We finished our business yesterday when he showed up to tell me that his sister...” 

The pause was heavy between them, and Kurt held his breath, waiting to see if Logan would own up to everything without being prompted to. 

Silence weighed them down for five...six...seven heartbeats, and Kurt began to think that Logan would guard those secrets from him forever.  The women, his past, strange men who held power over Logan in a way no one else did. 

Finally, Logan cleared his throat as he stepped closer to Kurt.  “...it was _years_ ago, Kurt.  Back when the half-pint was only fourteen, and I was trainin’ her pretty heavily.  We were separated ‘cause that was part of her trainin’, and when I made it back to her parents’ cabin before her, I got...distracted...”

“...by Nyssa...”

A quiet nod answered at first, and Kurt just regarded Logan with cool but wary eyes. 

“...she stumbled outa the woods, and I took her into the cabin to get her some help.  Wanted to call for a doctor, and she wouldn’t let me.  I wasn’t too keen on Kitty showin’ up while Nyssa was there, but turned out I didn’t have to worry about it.  All hell broke loose, and the next thing I knew, Nyssa bit me...”  He cleared his throat again and looked away.  “...called me her mate, and I wound up runnin’ with her brother Malik’s pack...”  Logan turned his face away at that point, unable to meet Kurt’s eyes.  It had been humiliating...taking orders from Malik, having to let the tall blond alpha corner him in the men’s room and not be able to fight back.  Logan took orders from Scott because he was a leader and because Scott would at least usually listen to other suggestions before he called yea or nay on them.  Malik was...Malik...  Logan shook his head, dislodging the memory. 

Kurt leaned against the half wall around the veranda, his beer dangling from one hand, half-drunk now.  His eyebrows creased his forehead.  “Kitty was fourteen...so this was when you were with...”

“...Mariko.  Yeah...I know.”  Logan puffed out a breath, as if telling even this snippet of his long life to his boyfriend was taking all the energy out of him.  “Anyway...I wasn’t a werewolf for long ‘cause my healing kicked in and negated it, and that was it with Nyssa.  She took off with her brother after the attack on the dinner that Kitty’s parents were at – they didn’t get hurt.  I made sure of that.  But she just...well, I couldn’t be her mate ‘cause I couldn’t stay like she was.  Didn’t really want to either.  It was like...bein’ feral... _all the time_.  I didn’t like it.  It was...too...” 

Kurt filled in the word he thought Logan was looking for, “...easy?”

Logan nodded again and brought his bottle up to his lips then snorted when he found it empty.  His shoulders dropped – the whole world was against him lately.  He lowered his eyes, still unable to meet Kurt’s.  He didn’t like admitting that he liked the times his more human senses were out of control, and he sure didn’t like admitting to the feelings of subservience he had around Malik. 

“So, what does all of this have to do with the way you’ve been acting the last few days, Logan?  You have plenty of days where you’re an asshole, but the last two days, you went above and beyond that,” Kurt remarked.  He stepped closer to Logan and offered the man he loved the rest of his beer, then he took the empty bottle and set it onto the wall. 

Surprise registered on his face; in spite of how many years they’d been best friends, much less lovers, Logan would always remain in awe of Kurt’s kindness to him, especially when he behaved like the world’s biggest douchebag.  The slight nod of his head conveyed his thanks, and he finished half of what remained in the bottle in one gulp.  Then he exhaled and followed Kurt’s movements out of the corners of his eyes. 

“Malik showed up three days ago.  Ran into me while I was trainin’ the kids in the woods.  I sent them on ahead ‘cause I didn’t know what he wanted...if he was gonna cause trouble.  But he was just here to tell me that Nyssa went missing.  Thought she might’ve come here to find me again,” Logan explained.  He turned his eyes directly on Kurt and saw the arched eyebrow.  “She never came here, Kurt. I swear that to you.  And if she had, I woulda sent her away.  Don’t need her kinda trouble...don’t want it.”  Disbelief met his blues. “Didn’t want _her_ , Elf.  I swear.”  He sighed when only silence responded, and he could smell the skepticism on Kurt.  “Anyway, it doesn’t matter now.  Malik showed up again yesterday to tell me that his pack had found Nyssa.  She’d gotten into something way over her head, and someone shot her.  Old style-like...silver bullets and all.  He wanted me to know...wanted me to know that they were takin’ her to bury her...and that I probably wouldn’t see them again.  And that’s it, Kurt.  That’s the whole of it.  If ya still wanna move into your own room...break up...whatever, I’ll understand.  I just didn’t know...how to tell ya...or what to tell ya...” 

If Logan was surprised before by the gift of the rest of Kurt’s beer, then he was stunned to find his words interrupted by the lips pressed against his own and a blue hand cupped to the back of his head.  He was too stunned to make a move other than to tilt his head and offer a tentative kiss back, unsure if Kurt would pull away the moment he responded. 

Kurt trailed his lips up Logan’s jaw to his ear where he whispered hotly, “The next time you feel the need to hide your past from me, _Liebchen_ , I suggest that you don’t.  Ever.  Again.”  His lips pulled back into a smile just under Logan’s earlobe when he heard a soft whimper and felt Logan’s head nod ever so slightly. 

His next kiss was to Logan’s throat, and he sunk his teeth in just enough to let Logan know he was forgiven.


End file.
